Classes and workshops are ongoing throughout the day.
Tickets include entrance to any classes within the time slot shown on your ticket, but space is limited.
Tickets include entrance to any classes within the time slot shown on your ticket, but space is limited.
Friday Afternoon (2:00pm-5:30pm)
Tasting Room
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm Valerie Beck (founder, Chocolate Uplift and Chicago Chocolate Tours)
Title: Artisanal or Industrial, Food or Fake? Making Conscious Chocolate Choices
Chocolate can be a standardized bulk ingredient in an industrial product with a tainted supply chain, or an exquisite and ethically created specialty that delivers complexity, flavor, and health, while uplifting people and planet. How to tell the difference? We'll look at how cacao is harvested, fermented, dried, roasted, ground, and developed into finished chocolate, and at how to choose chocolate consciously by deciphering labels, as we enjoy a tasting trip from cocoa bean to chocolate bar. We'll focus on the rise of "craft" or "bean-to-bar" chocolate, and sample the work of small-batch chocolate makers, as we peer back into the history and ahead to the future of one of the most beloved foods in the world.
Title: Artisanal or Industrial, Food or Fake? Making Conscious Chocolate Choices
Chocolate can be a standardized bulk ingredient in an industrial product with a tainted supply chain, or an exquisite and ethically created specialty that delivers complexity, flavor, and health, while uplifting people and planet. How to tell the difference? We'll look at how cacao is harvested, fermented, dried, roasted, ground, and developed into finished chocolate, and at how to choose chocolate consciously by deciphering labels, as we enjoy a tasting trip from cocoa bean to chocolate bar. We'll focus on the rise of "craft" or "bean-to-bar" chocolate, and sample the work of small-batch chocolate makers, as we peer back into the history and ahead to the future of one of the most beloved foods in the world.
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm Liang Wang (co-founder, Kessho Chocolate)
Title: Inclusion Bean to Bar Chocolate: Serious Crafting for Casual Enjoyment
Liang will be sharing about her thought processes and different methods crafting their award-winning Asian-inspired inclusion bars. It will be an informative session with plenty of tasting!
Title: Inclusion Bean to Bar Chocolate: Serious Crafting for Casual Enjoyment
Liang will be sharing about her thought processes and different methods crafting their award-winning Asian-inspired inclusion bars. It will be an informative session with plenty of tasting!
4:30 pm - 5:15 pm London Coe (founder of Peace on Fifth)
Title: How to Love the Chocolate Made to Love You
London invites you to an intentional tasting practice where flavor becomes a language of presence, place, and devotion. Her method drives us to appreciate anew single origin bean to bar craft chocolate by exploring how chocolate awakens the senses, deepens awareness, and can be a conduit of pleasure, presence, and connection: with the self, the maker, and the land that shapes the chocolate we love.
Title: How to Love the Chocolate Made to Love You
London invites you to an intentional tasting practice where flavor becomes a language of presence, place, and devotion. Her method drives us to appreciate anew single origin bean to bar craft chocolate by exploring how chocolate awakens the senses, deepens awareness, and can be a conduit of pleasure, presence, and connection: with the self, the maker, and the land that shapes the chocolate we love.
Auditorium
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm Estelle Tracy (founder, 37 Chocolates)
What you didn’t know about chocolate: the cool hidden facts and stories behind your favorite food.
Join chocolate sommelier Estelle Tracy for an exploration of the history, geography, culture, and industry of chocolate. Peppered with engaging stories, the presentation will give you a deeper appreciation of chocolate and a collection of fun facts to impress your friends.
What you didn’t know about chocolate: the cool hidden facts and stories behind your favorite food.
Join chocolate sommelier Estelle Tracy for an exploration of the history, geography, culture, and industry of chocolate. Peppered with engaging stories, the presentation will give you a deeper appreciation of chocolate and a collection of fun facts to impress your friends.
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm Delegation of chocolate farmers makers from Trinidad & Tobago
Panel Discussion: The Flavor Profiles of Chocolates from Trinidad & Tobago
Panel Discussion: The Flavor Profiles of Chocolates from Trinidad & Tobago
4:30 pm - 5:15 pm Emily Stone (co-founder/CEO, Uncommon Cacao)
Title: Better Belize it! A deep dive into Maya Mountain Cacao
Come learn about the history of cacao in this amazing Caribbean country and dive deeper into the work of Maya Mountain Cacao with Emily Stone, founder of Maya Mountain and of Uncommon Cacao. Maya Mountain was started in 2010 as the first centralized post-harvest and export operation in Belize, and works closely with over 500 Q'eqchi' and Mopan Maya families who grow cacao in agroforestry systems. Cacao produced by the Maya Mountain producer network is used by over 100 bean-to-bar chocolate makers around the world and won a Cacao of Excellence award in 2019.
Title: Better Belize it! A deep dive into Maya Mountain Cacao
Come learn about the history of cacao in this amazing Caribbean country and dive deeper into the work of Maya Mountain Cacao with Emily Stone, founder of Maya Mountain and of Uncommon Cacao. Maya Mountain was started in 2010 as the first centralized post-harvest and export operation in Belize, and works closely with over 500 Q'eqchi' and Mopan Maya families who grow cacao in agroforestry systems. Cacao produced by the Maya Mountain producer network is used by over 100 bean-to-bar chocolate makers around the world and won a Cacao of Excellence award in 2019.
Friday Evening (6:00pm-9:00pm)
Auditorium
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Anne Zaczek (Executive Director HCP, moderator), Rich Tango-Lowy (President of the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP)), Dr. Darin Sukha (Research Fellow, Cocoa Research Center (CRC) at University of West Indies (UWI) and HCP Tasting Panel Lead), Prof. Path Umaharan (Profesor, Department of Life Sciences, Cocoa Research Center (CRC) at University of West Indies (UWI), Jacob Marlin (Executive Director, Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education)
Featured panel discussion: Preserving Fine Flavor: Research, Conservation, and Farmer Impact in the Cacao Industry
This session will offer attendees a comprehensive look at the research, technical advancements, and conservation efforts driving the future of fine-flavor cacao and the livelihoods of those who cultivate it. This panel will showcase the collaborative efforts advancing the preservation and promotion of fine-flavor cacao through research, conservation, and farmer training initiatives. Panelists will explore HCP’s global programs dedicated to identifying, preserving, and supporting fine-flavor cacao, equipping farmers with the tools and knowledge to enhance cultivation practices and sustainability. Additionally, panelists will share their involvement with key industry organizations, offering insights into the global recognition of fine-flavor cacao, the criteria for its designation, and its broader impact on farmers and stakeholders across the cacao value chain.
Featured panel discussion: Preserving Fine Flavor: Research, Conservation, and Farmer Impact in the Cacao Industry
This session will offer attendees a comprehensive look at the research, technical advancements, and conservation efforts driving the future of fine-flavor cacao and the livelihoods of those who cultivate it. This panel will showcase the collaborative efforts advancing the preservation and promotion of fine-flavor cacao through research, conservation, and farmer training initiatives. Panelists will explore HCP’s global programs dedicated to identifying, preserving, and supporting fine-flavor cacao, equipping farmers with the tools and knowledge to enhance cultivation practices and sustainability. Additionally, panelists will share their involvement with key industry organizations, offering insights into the global recognition of fine-flavor cacao, the criteria for its designation, and its broader impact on farmers and stakeholders across the cacao value chain.
Saturday Morning (10:30am-2:00pm)
Tasting Room
11:00 am - 11:45 am Estelle Tracy (founder, 37 Chocolates)
Title: Chocolate in Paris — A Cliché-Free Snapshot of Today’s Parisian Chocolate Scene
Americans often romanticize Paris, but what does the city’s chocolate scene really look like? French-born chocolate sommelier Estelle Tracy will take you beyond the clichés through a tasting of three standout Parisian chocolate companies: Debauve & Gallais, the historic brand with royal roots; Jean-Paul Hévin, recently named the world’s best pastry chef and chocolatier; and Plaq, a modern pioneer of the Parisian bean-to-bar movement.
Title: Chocolate in Paris — A Cliché-Free Snapshot of Today’s Parisian Chocolate Scene
Americans often romanticize Paris, but what does the city’s chocolate scene really look like? French-born chocolate sommelier Estelle Tracy will take you beyond the clichés through a tasting of three standout Parisian chocolate companies: Debauve & Gallais, the historic brand with royal roots; Jean-Paul Hévin, recently named the world’s best pastry chef and chocolatier; and Plaq, a modern pioneer of the Parisian bean-to-bar movement.
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Sophia Rea (chocolate historian and sommelier) & Mara Papatheodorou (Master Foodie, a former Bon Appetit Magazine editor)
Title: CHOCOLATE & WHAT?!
A deliciously fun and informative edible lesson and immersive experience that delves into the curious and provocative world of chocolate and its surprising suitors. Join the Sweet & Savory Sisters, for a unique tasting & talk featuring floral and herbal bites where flavors bloom and facts & folklore flourish!
Title: CHOCOLATE & WHAT?!
A deliciously fun and informative edible lesson and immersive experience that delves into the curious and provocative world of chocolate and its surprising suitors. Join the Sweet & Savory Sisters, for a unique tasting & talk featuring floral and herbal bites where flavors bloom and facts & folklore flourish!
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm Andal Balu (President and co-founder, CocoaTown)
Title: Interactive Chocolate Making
Come and learn how cocoa bean is converted into a healthy, delicious chocolate. This is a hands-on, interactive session where you can participate in chocolate making. It is ideal for all ages. Learn the physics and science behind the chocolatemaking and the difference between the candy chocolate and the bean to bar chocolate. Eating the bean to bar chocolate is healthier for you and in addition, it empowers the small businesses that make the chocolates and helps the farmers who grow the cocoa beans to climb the economic ladder so they and their children do not leave the farming to earn money in the city. Did you know that only 6% of the value of the candy chocolate reaches the farmers who grow the beans and toil from dawn to dusk, rain or shine and still can not have a decent living standards?
Title: Interactive Chocolate Making
Come and learn how cocoa bean is converted into a healthy, delicious chocolate. This is a hands-on, interactive session where you can participate in chocolate making. It is ideal for all ages. Learn the physics and science behind the chocolatemaking and the difference between the candy chocolate and the bean to bar chocolate. Eating the bean to bar chocolate is healthier for you and in addition, it empowers the small businesses that make the chocolates and helps the farmers who grow the cocoa beans to climb the economic ladder so they and their children do not leave the farming to earn money in the city. Did you know that only 6% of the value of the candy chocolate reaches the farmers who grow the beans and toil from dawn to dusk, rain or shine and still can not have a decent living standards?
Auditorium
11:00 am - 11:45 am Lauren Adler (Chief Exploration Officer, The Chocolate Explorers Club)
Title: Chocolate Literacy: Understanding What Craft Chocolate Labels Really Tell Us
Have you ever found yourself staring at a chocolate bar wrapper, overwhelmed by the abundance of information? From origin stories and bean varieties to certification seals and processing methods, today's specialty chocolate labels are packed with details that tell a rich story—if you know how to read them.
In this engaging one-hour session, Lauren Adler brings her 15+ years of craft chocolate expertise to help you navigate the complex language of chocolate packaging. Whether you're a curious newcomer or a devoted chocolate enthusiast, this session will transform the way you select and appreciate artisan chocolate.
Bring your questions! This interactive session includes time for Q&A.
Title: Chocolate Literacy: Understanding What Craft Chocolate Labels Really Tell Us
Have you ever found yourself staring at a chocolate bar wrapper, overwhelmed by the abundance of information? From origin stories and bean varieties to certification seals and processing methods, today's specialty chocolate labels are packed with details that tell a rich story—if you know how to read them.
In this engaging one-hour session, Lauren Adler brings her 15+ years of craft chocolate expertise to help you navigate the complex language of chocolate packaging. Whether you're a curious newcomer or a devoted chocolate enthusiast, this session will transform the way you select and appreciate artisan chocolate.
Bring your questions! This interactive session includes time for Q&A.
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Alain d'Aboville (the author of CacaoSource)
Title: Why is chocolate expensive, and should be expensive
Title: Why is chocolate expensive, and should be expensive
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm John Forrer (professor, George Washington University), Pathmanathan Umaharan (Cocoa Research Centre, Trinidad & Tobago)
Panel discussion: progress on supporting sustainable supply chains in Trinidad and Tobago and lessons learned
Panel discussion: progress on supporting sustainable supply chains in Trinidad and Tobago and lessons learned
Saturday Afternoon (2:00pm-5:30pm)
Tasting Room
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm Rich Tango-Lowy (President, Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP); Owner and Master Chocolatier, Dancing Lion Chocolate), Lyndel Meinhardt PhD (Research Leader/Plant Pathologist, USDA Agricultural Research Service), and Special Guest, One of HCP's Newest Heirloom Awardee
Title: Awarding Heirloom Excellence
Join the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP) for a special unveiling of two newly designated Heirloom Cacao varieties—HCP #20 and HCP #21. Rich Tango-Lowy will lead an exclusive tasting of chocolates crafted from these exceptional beans, showcasing their unique flavor profiles. Dr. Lyndel Meinhardt will delve into the genetics behind each designation and the rigorous process behind HCP’s discovery and preservation efforts.
This session will also feature a rare opportunity to meet one of the newly recognized Heirloom Awardees in person, offering firsthand insight into the origin and impact of these remarkable cacao varieties.
Title: Awarding Heirloom Excellence
Join the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP) for a special unveiling of two newly designated Heirloom Cacao varieties—HCP #20 and HCP #21. Rich Tango-Lowy will lead an exclusive tasting of chocolates crafted from these exceptional beans, showcasing their unique flavor profiles. Dr. Lyndel Meinhardt will delve into the genetics behind each designation and the rigorous process behind HCP’s discovery and preservation efforts.
This session will also feature a rare opportunity to meet one of the newly recognized Heirloom Awardees in person, offering firsthand insight into the origin and impact of these remarkable cacao varieties.
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm Jessica Henderson (founder, Chocolate Monkey Fine Chocolate Tastings)
Title: Sweet Scents: Unwrapping the Pathways of Chocolate's Aroma
Learn more about how we sense aroma and how we integrate it in creating our overall flavor experience when we enjoy chocolate. Dr. Jessica Henderson will introduce several ways of smelling (and tasting!) chocolate samples to better understand and appreciate our unique abilities and to improve our aroma perception.
Title: Sweet Scents: Unwrapping the Pathways of Chocolate's Aroma
Learn more about how we sense aroma and how we integrate it in creating our overall flavor experience when we enjoy chocolate. Dr. Jessica Henderson will introduce several ways of smelling (and tasting!) chocolate samples to better understand and appreciate our unique abilities and to improve our aroma perception.
4:30 pm - 5:15 pm Judith Barrow (founder, Amma’s Choice)
Title: For the Love of Cacao Butter
we’ll explore the versatility of cacao butter in skincare and self-care routines. Attendees will learn how to incorporate this ingredient into their daily lives while also discovering other incredible butters like shea, mango, and moabi butter.
Title: For the Love of Cacao Butter
we’ll explore the versatility of cacao butter in skincare and self-care routines. Attendees will learn how to incorporate this ingredient into their daily lives while also discovering other incredible butters like shea, mango, and moabi butter.
Auditorium
2:30 pm - 3:15 pm Nico Silverman (Director, USA Operations, Diego's Artisan Chocolate)
Title: A Tale of Two Processes: Mayan Traditions Meet Modern Craft Chocolate
In Guatemala, unfermented "lavado" cacao has been integral to Tz'utujil Mayan culture for generations, while fine chocolate markets demand fermented beans. Join Nico Silverman as he shares how Diego's Chocolate—Guatemala's oldest craft producer—navigated this transition to 100% fermented cacao while honoring indigenous heritage. Discover their partner farms' agroforestry practices and emerging research on nutritional differences between these processing methods that might surprise even seasoned chocolate professionals.
Title: A Tale of Two Processes: Mayan Traditions Meet Modern Craft Chocolate
In Guatemala, unfermented "lavado" cacao has been integral to Tz'utujil Mayan culture for generations, while fine chocolate markets demand fermented beans. Join Nico Silverman as he shares how Diego's Chocolate—Guatemala's oldest craft producer—navigated this transition to 100% fermented cacao while honoring indigenous heritage. Discover their partner farms' agroforestry practices and emerging research on nutritional differences between these processing methods that might surprise even seasoned chocolate professionals.
3:30 pm - 4:15 pm Mariano D'Aguiar (founder/partner, River-Sea Chocolates)
Title: From Farm to Bar: Sustainable Cacao Production
Join Mariano as he shares insights from years of hands-on experience sourcing cacao directly from farms across Latin America. Learn how ethical trade practices, post-harvest fermentation, and micro-batch processing all contribute to quality craft chocolate. Whether you're a chocolate lover, an aspiring maker, or a sustainability advocate, this session offers a behind-the-scenes look into the world of bean-to-bar chocolate making and the people behind the cacao.
Title: From Farm to Bar: Sustainable Cacao Production
Join Mariano as he shares insights from years of hands-on experience sourcing cacao directly from farms across Latin America. Learn how ethical trade practices, post-harvest fermentation, and micro-batch processing all contribute to quality craft chocolate. Whether you're a chocolate lover, an aspiring maker, or a sustainability advocate, this session offers a behind-the-scenes look into the world of bean-to-bar chocolate making and the people behind the cacao.
4:30 pm - 5:15 pm Leila Carvajal (Chemical engineer & CEO, Cocoa Supply)
Title: The Future of Cocoa & Chocolate – Must-Watch Innovations and Advances
Leila brings a global perspective shaped by generations of family expertise in Ecuadorian cacao since the 1880s. In this forward-looking session, she explores cutting-edge trends transforming the world of cocoa, from precision fermentation and novel cocoa varieties to lab-crafted flavor innovations. Join Leila as she examines how technology, sustainability, and tradition are converging to shape the future of chocolate.
Title: The Future of Cocoa & Chocolate – Must-Watch Innovations and Advances
Leila brings a global perspective shaped by generations of family expertise in Ecuadorian cacao since the 1880s. In this forward-looking session, she explores cutting-edge trends transforming the world of cocoa, from precision fermentation and novel cocoa varieties to lab-crafted flavor innovations. Join Leila as she examines how technology, sustainability, and tradition are converging to shape the future of chocolate.
